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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Don't worry, you have not entered a parallel universe. It is not snowing in Hell. But yes, I did make a veggie burger tonight.

This past Friday, Alexis and I worked at our Johnson City, TN office. We skipped lunch so we could eat an early dinner on our way out of town at our favorite restaurant there, Cootie Brown's, . (Next 3 photos are mobile phone pics.)This place is eclectic and fun. Staff wear tie dyed t shirts. The planter boxes out front have bright colored flowers made out of rebar and car radiator fans. They have outdoor and indoor seating pretty much year round. And....can I show you the men's room? This is some of the hilarious artwork in the men's room. Yep, that's a screaming roll of toilet paper.But it is their exceptional menu and quality food that keeps us coming back. We almost always get something different and this time, we both ordered different veggie burgers! Yes, two confirmed Carnivortarians ordered veggie burgers. Alexis got the black bean burger and I got the spinach burger (only the second veggie burger I've eaten in my life).How much did I like it? I decided to try to make them on my own tonight but the only hint I had was that it had garbanzo beans as a base.

Mix all ingredients except bread crumbs in a food processor or blender until you have a paste consistency. Add bread crumbs in pulses until you get a thicker consistency.Shape into 4 burger sized patties. If they are too "mushy" add more bread crumbs and maybe a bit of flour until the mixture can be shaped into patties. TIP: Remember that these are veggie patties and that they won't shrink like the typical ground beef burger. Try to keep them about the size of your buns. (Bread buns. If you've "got much back", don't try to replicate that.)

Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.

Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup mayo and 3 Tbsp pesto together.

Preheat a cast iron skillet in a 350f oven and then put on medium heat on the range top. Cook for 5 minutes on one side. Flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes on the opposite side.Serve on a toasted roll with the pesto mayo.For the second time ever tasting a veggie burger and the first time ever trying to recreate it, I think we did a bang up job on this one.

But if you ever find yourself in Johnson City, TN, make sure you stop by Cootie Brown's. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I've got a lunch today at The Counter (www.thecounterburger.com). They've got all manner of meat patties, but my favorite is their veggie burger. Nice spot, but not as cool-looking as Cootie Brown's. Never tried to make a veggie patty on my own. Looks like you nailed it!

I was in Johnson City on Sunday. We ate at the Roadhouse. As we always do. My family isn't big on trying new places. If we find somewhere that all 5 of us agree on, we stick with it. But I might suggest Cootie Brown's next weekend when we go back.

That veggie burger looks great. I don't eat ground meat of any kind, so I think I'd LOVE this. Sometimes I crave a burger so bad it isn't funny. But the thought of eating ground meat gags me. LOL.

I love finding little resaturant jems on road trips :) But I have to confess, a veggie burger has never passed these lips. I have horrid memories of backyard bbq's years ago with vegetarian friends bringing their pale grey, crumbly, stinky tofu veggie burgers to throw on the grill. Ewww. I know the veggie burger has evloved since then, and mayhaps I should give them a go.

This is quite a coincidence. You see I was just having my morning tea and thinking about my day. I was thinking I might go buy a grill today. If I am going to spend money on a grill I started to wonder if I would really use it enough to justify buying an expensive one (ie Green Egg). So then I started thinking maybe I could branch out on SippitySup more and do some unexpected recipes with a grill. My first thought was I'd like to spatchcock and grill a whole turkey. I even have the turkey (but no grill). Anyway, I can't let the word spatchcock cross my brain with out thinking of you. So I came over here to see what you were up to. Lo and behold you did something unexpected with great results! So I am one step closer to a new grill. GREG

This fits in very nicely with the healthy eating kick I'm on (which is also how I punish the mister - healthy food and NO desserts!) so making these for dinner tonight solves my #1 question of the day! Hope I can get past the GREEN! I wonder if the cost of making these will qualify for a rebate under the government's new GREEN program?!?

Oh and I LOVE the shots of the burger joint! Restroom decor cracks me up - there's a nice little up here that has a little embroidered sign on the back of the ladies room toilet that reads, "If you have a p*nis in your hand, you're in the wrong room." :D

I've had a veggies burger once! and that was very recently at a local burger joint called Flookies. I was told (by vegetarians / vegans) that they have very good veggie burgers. But to not expect them to taste like hamburgers. That was the key. Get hamburger (beef) out of your head and it's all good LOL

Looks like a fun place and your veggie burger looks awesome! I eat vegetarian for all meals other than dinner and even that is vegetarian several nights a week. Now the guys wouldn't know what to do if a meal appeared before them that didn't have a large slab of cow involved. I'm the wild type - I swing both ways, ROFL! :-)

OMG. I do have to say I really liked this burger! I am a meat eater all the way and this is the 1st veggie burger i have EVER had. I just wanted to try something different and this was a homerun. It was so delicious.